Movable-bottom-screen jigger.



H. J. MOYER.

MOVABLE BGTTOM SCREEN JIGGER.

Patented May 8, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET I APPLICATION FILED AUG-2h IBIS.

m mwms PETERS cuJwomuma.mswmmw u c H. J. MOYER.

MOVABLE BOTTOM SCREEN JIGGER.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.21, i915.

1 25, 1 5 Patented May 8, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented May 8, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2'.

. i. MOYER'.

MOVABLE BOTTOM SCREEN JIGGER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.21. E915- llill llllllllllllln lllll m w lJNllTED SKATE 2% PATENT @FFMJE.

HARRY J. MOYEB, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MOVABLE-BOTTOM-SCREEN JIGGER.

Application filed August 21, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY J. MOYER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at 1516 lVingohocking street, Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Movable-Bottom-Screen Jigger, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of my invention is to control the movement of a jigger box bottom or section thereof by a stabilizer to prevent sudden opening and closing movements from accumulated slate thereon or release of the slate and from water impulses due to plunger action.

A further purpose of my invention is to apply a stabilizer without objectionable lost motion to movable box bottoms, flaps or sections, whether they are swung about pivots, hinges, etc., or are moved at the same or nearly the same rate over their entire surface.

A further purpose of my invention is to apply the same stabilizing action througlr out the entire range of movement of a jigger box bottom, section thereof or flap.

Further purposes of my invention are to adapt a stabilized coal and slate support with counterbalances to use in existing jiggers without excessive change; to apply counterbalances in lever form with variant supporting values at variant heights to movable sections of jigger box casings or full movable bottoms; to protect the outlet of a jigger box fromclogging by slate therein; to maintain the slope of a bottom jigger box section which is moved to allow out ward feed of the slate, and to secure all of the advantages of my invention in jiggers in which the beating is accomplished by dashing the entire jigger box as well as in those where the heating is accomplished by a plunger.

Further purposes of my invention will appear in the specification and in the claims thereof.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention by a few only, of the many forms in which it may be utilized. selecting these with a view to the best illustration of the P in iples of m inve tion.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1917.

Serial No. 46,667.

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section through a jigger embodying the preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation, partly in section and omitting the conveyers, of the form shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section upon line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary section corresponding to the plane of the paper in Fig. showing a modified form including parts not shown in Fig. 2.

Figs. 5 and (3 are broken sections of jig ger box bottoms corresponding in position to Fig. 1 but showing modified forms.

Figs. 7 and 8 are vertical sections at right angles to each other, of another form of my invention. Fig. 8 omitting conveyer parts.

Figs. 9 and 10 are a vertical section and side elevation of modified dashing means for he box shown in Figs. 7 and S.

In the drawings similar numerals indicate like parts.

This application forms a continuation as to much of its subject matter of my application for jigger for separating coal and slate. filed July 14, 1915, Ser. No. 39,916, and is filed in order to claim herein subject matter involving movement of the bottom or a section thereof with respect to the box, a different species from that preferred in the said application, though coming under the broad claims thereof.

The invention relates to the means of feeding the slate from the jigger box after the separation and is directed primarily to the balancing of a movable or relatively movable jigger box section or bottom (whether the box in its entirety be fixed or moved as a plunger) by means which Will equalize different weights of combined coal and slate (which increase in weight with increase in the proportion of slate) at correspondingly different. heights and to prevention of fluttering of the section or bottom which moves, Whether the tendency to flutter is caused by water impulses due to the plunger or to sudden relief from part of the overlying Weight by reason of undue l te dis h ge Taking up first the fixed box type, the tank 1 contains the water in which thejigger box is to be immersed to some such level as 2, above the reciprocable plunger 3. This plunger operates in any convenient space set off by a battle or wall l, so that the water impulses produced shall be applied to the jigger box bottom rather than to the sides thereof. The bottom 5 of the box 6 is perforated.

At the front of the tank I provide casings or boots 7 and 8, in operative position to receive the discharges of coal and slate respectively. Within these casings conveyers 9 and 10 travel for the purpose of continuously removing the separated coal 11 and slate 12, which are received unseparated through a chute from any pocket, such as 13, or other storage or supply.

The chute delivers the mixed coal and slate to the jigger box behind a battle, such as 14-, adj ustably spaced from the bottom of the box as by closure 15 moved by rod 16 and adjusting mechanism 17.

As is well known, the impulses given by the plunger are transmitted to the mixed coal and slate, the variance of whose specific gravities has been exaggerated by submergence of both in the water. As the impulses are applied through the perforated bottom the mixed coal and slate are lifted and sub side successively with each impulse, rearranging in accordance with their subsidence values with the coal on top in position to pour over the mouth 18, and the slate progressively deepening toward the front along the sloping bottom, and having its outlet at 19. The greater bulk of the slate causes greater total weight upon the entire bottom and the progressive increase in slate depth causes corresponding increase in the pressure upon underlying parts of the bot tom.

\Vith the jiggers at present in use the operator taps the slate at intervals, when he thinks that it has accumulated in suflicient quantity. Undue delay causes slate to be passed out with the coal, injures the quality of the coal and often requires rejigging of the condemned coal, expensive alike'because of the re-handling and of the breakage of coal. Undue tapping causes waste of coal which passes out through the slate outlet. At its best intermittent tapping of the slate is objectionable for various reasons. The capacity of the jigger is limited by the amount of slate which it will hold before it is tapped. The slate conveyer is not operated economically. Every time slate is tapped the depth of slate at the front is greatly reduced while that farther back is but slightly affected, disturbing the desirable distribution of the slate with its upper surface nearly in a plane, and requiring that F the coal, which has followed the slate down toward the slate outlet, be displaced relatively more than coal farther back before slate can be again accumulated at the front. This loses part of the time of operation of the jigger before the rearrangement of the coal and slate is effected.

Various efforts have been made to utilize the pressure upon a section of the bottom, and in one case upon the entire bottom to move the section orbottom in an effort to discharge the slate automatically. These have failed for a number of reasons, among which might be stated, the absence of any stabilizer for taking the thrust due to the reciprocations of the plunger, the lack of suitable counter-weighting for the movable sec tion or bottom to equalize different weights at different heights, inoperative outlets within which the slate is caught, preventing free movement, and the lack of support against undue movement in either direction by reason of sudden change in weight.

The result has been that the movable sections or bottoms have fluttered with the pulsations of the plunger, following up the coal and slate and interfering with the separation. The sections have dropped rapidly as soon as the counterweight value was exceeded and have allowed asudden discharge of slate, disturbing the slate distribution quite as fully as is the case with hand discharge operation. Relieved of its extra weight the bottom or section closes nearly as rapidly as it opens and there is no maintained position at which average or uniform flow of slate takes place. Except as they have avoided excessive accumulation of slate before tapping and have been less open to objection from excessive discharge, carrying coal out along with the slate, they have been In the form shown I have used a baffle 20 previously in use to relieve against crowding of coal down into the slate outlet.

I have pivoted the door 21 above the out let 19 and closed it toward the outwardly moving slate in order to avoid choking of the slate between the door and frame. In this form I have shown automatic closing of the door by an arm 22, secured by set screw to the shaft of the door, and by a rod 25 pivoted to a counterbalance arm hereinafter described.

The greater part of the perforated bottom is fixed. A portion at the front, as 27, is made movable and is preferably lifted and lowered bodily, as in F 1, rather than swung, as in Fig. 5 herein. In its uppermost position it preferably does not entirely close the outlet opening upon the inside, as at 28, in order that the tendency to jam the slate between the movable section and the top of the opening may be reduced. This is j assisted by the inward movement of the door.

The movable section is guided by a flange 29 upon the adjoining, fixed, portion of the bottom and by a flange 30 upon the under side of the forward edge of the section, as well as by the ends of the tank or boX. This flange 3O relieves against crowding of slate into the outlet space. The section 27 is supported by a plurality of rods 31, here shown as three in number which are conected with a counterweighted frame 32.

The ends of the frame are provided with pairs of ears 33 in which pins 34 are secured so as to be engaged by the forked ends 35 of counterweight arms 36 pivoted on pins 37 which are seated in the casing of the tank at 38. The counterweighting is split up into two parts shown by adjustable weights 39 and -11) held screws 4-1 and i2.

It will be evident that the effective distance from the connterweighting to the pivot pin 3? will vary according to the harmonic la w as the lever 36 turns, but that the effective distance from the sectioil-supporting pin 3i to the pivot pin 37 will be substantially constant, with the result that, as the outer end of the lever arm in Fig. 3, carrying the counterweight, moves downwardly from the position there shown, it will. be equalized by successively decreasing weights of combined sl a te and coal bearing upon the section. The mo able section will therefore rest at differ ent heights with different combined coal and slate weights upon it, lowering to a new position of equilibrium with increasing slate content and lifting to a higher position of equilibrium with decreasingproportion of slate.

This connterpoise mechanism would in itself secure and maintain a position of the section (or bottom. as in Fig. 6) at which an average flow of slate would take place, but for the pulsations produced by the plunger. These would cause a fluttering of the section or bottom, following the boX content up by the bottom when it should be spaced therefrom, as is necessary for proper separation. Because the pulsations follow each other in too rapid succession for the section or bottom to drop to its true counter- Dosc position between these pulsations, they have another effect in lifting the section or bottom to a greater height than that at which it should counterbalance with the weight upon it.

In order to receive the thrust of the pulsations as well as support the section or bottom against the impact of the mass of slate and coal when it drops upon the section or bottom between pulsations, I apply a damper to its movements which I prefer to call a stabilizer and illustrate as of dash pot form. It ha the advantage of being equally in their adjusted position by effective throughout its entire range of movement. It comprises a cylinder 43 supported from the tank or other fixed point, as by table el and having its piston rod 45 connected at one end with the frame 32 and at the other end with the piston 46. The hole 1L7 through the piston shows my preferred means of providing for the leakage necessary to permit slow movement of the section or bottom from one position of equilib rium to another with variation in the rate of slate flow.

By the pipes 48 and 49, valved at 50, 51, I provide for a column of oil or other suitable fluid to bring pressure upon a volume of corresponding fluid within the cylinder, so as to reduce or eliminate bubbles and gain the full advantage of the direct connection between the section or bottom and the stabilizer.

As is true in my prior application referred to, I provide a lever for the purpose of lifting the section or bottom to a high position. without regard to the proportion of slate to coal in the box when the jigging operation is begun, in order that there may be no discharge through the slate outlet until there has been time for the slate and coal to be. son'iewhat separated and to form a sul'licient slate layer on the bottom. In the construction here shown, it is not necessary to use a separate lever, because I am able to obtain the same function from a lever alreac y described as performing another function. I therefore purpose using the counterbalancing lever or levers 36 for this purpose, using it or them also to hold the section or bottom down, as long as may be necessary when cleaning out the bottom of the jigger. This can easily be done because of the relatively small weight upon the section which moves in Fig. 1. Under such circunr stances there is no necessity for supplying a separate lever for this purpose there.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the rod 24 is passed through the side wall of the tank or the boot casing and bushed to avoid leakage of water therefrom and tines are used in the door.

In the forms shown in Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated two pivoted bottom constructions to which my stabilizer is intended to be applied. They are also intended to be counterweighted to reach equilibrium at different heights for different weights. The section 27, Fig. 5, is pivoted at 52 and is provided. with an arced flange 30 at its front edge. Because the section swings, the rod 31 is pivoted to the section as at 53, and. the extent of lateral movement required in the showing has made a second. joint desirable, such as that shown just below the frame at 5%. In Fig. 6 the entire bottom swings about the pivot 52 and the amount of at ral mo ement q ir d of th r d 1 is so slight that the joint at 53 will ordinarily be sufficient without that at 5 1.

In operation, the jigg-er box is allowed to fill from the storage supply and the section or bottom is raised and retained in raised position by the lever for that purpose until suflicient bed of slate has accumulated, which may be determined readily by a little experience. The section or bottom is then allowed to seek its own level for the rate of slate-to-coal feed which is then running. This will take place rather slowly because of the action of the stabilizer, but the movement toward this position will be constant until it is reached. At this position the slate will work progressively out of the slate outlet, moving steadily from the back to the front and maintaining almost the same position and shape of upper contour throughout the operation upon coal and slate of the same proportions and specific gravities, changing with-change in either of these. Should the proportion of slate accumulated at the start be in excess of the proportion for which the box is normally intended in constant operation, the box may move slightly below its normal position and back thereto before balance is effected.

Taking up next the form in which the box itself is rapidly reciprocated to produce the relative water impulses, shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, I have shown my invention as applied to the movable box, purposing to have the bottom or a section of the bottom thereof movable with respect to the box, to have this movable bottom or section counterbalanced, in inverse proportion to the height, as with my other forms, so that the bottom or section shall be balanced. and come to a position of rest relative to the rest of the box at different points with different proportions of slate content, and stabilized against sudden movement in either direction.

Because the box moves I support the counterbalance structure as well as the stabilizer from the box and move it with the box; and because the movement of the box would tend to swing the weight or weights used in my preferred form of counterpoise about the lever pivots, I prefer to apply the stabilization directly to the levers. This could indeed be done with the other forms of my invention, as will be apparent, but does not there offer as .much advantage as with this form.

I show the box 6 as movable vertically in Fig. 7, and diagonally in Figs. 9 and 10. In Fig. 7 it is operated by eccentric 55, strap 56 and rod 57, pivoted to the box structure at 58 from any rotatable shaft 59. In Fig. 9 the same parts are'used but the rod operates at the angle at which the box is intended to be moved. In Fig. 10 an eccentric and slate forward toward the outlet.

at 58' to convert the rotation of another shaft 59 into horizontal movement of the box, which is combined with the vertical movement given by shaft 59.

The forms shown in Figs. 7 and 9 are guided in their movements by ribs 60 and 60 operating between guides 61 and 61, the latter beingprovided with rollers 62.

By these constructions the box 6 is given vertical movement in each case to produce the beating action, and in the structures of Figs. 9 and 10 is given a horizontal movement also which is considered by some desirable for the purpose of moving the coal In other respects the structures shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are intended to be substantially identical, the detail in Figs. 7 and 8 being omitted in Figs. 9 and 10 merely because under these circumstances it is not necessary.

I have shown the same general type of tank 1, lacking the plunger chamber in view of the plunging of the box and supporting a chute from any pocket 13, as in the other forms. The chute, however, is not rigid with the box and, in addition to the baffle 14: and the means for adjustment of the distance from its lower end to the box bottom, Ihave provided a closure 68, guided at 64, so that the feed of mixed coal and slate may be controlled at this point, where desired, to keep the chute reasonably clear of coal. This is desired by some users to prevent jamming of the coal in the chute on the upward stroke of the box from interfering with the movement of the box or breaking the coal.

I show the same general construction and arrangement of conveyor boots and conveyers and the same form of bodily movable perforated bottom section, guides therefor, rods connected with the section and frame connecting the rods, as shown in Fig. 1.

he counterweighting shown is also closely similar to that shown in Fig. 1, but the pins 37 are inwardly directed and are supported in the box and not in the tank. The ears 33 upon the frame, carrying pins 34 engaged by the forked ends of the counter weight levers are correspondingly located nearer to the center of the width of the box on account of the inward extension of pins 37. I utilize the same form of stabilizer here, as in Fig. 1, but use two of them and mount them upon a bracket 65 connected with the box, instead of upon the tank and connect thestabilizer piston rods 15, one to each of the counterpoise levers 36, forming the connection preferably between the weights and the pin 37, i

The connection of the stabilizer piston rod between the weights and the pivot is effective to reduce the movement both of the counterweights and of the movable section due to inertia which would otherwise tend to take place at the end of the stroke of the box, without bringing undue strain upon the lever, or upon the pivot. Experience with each size and proportion of movable bottom and counterweight will readily determine the distance from the pivot 37 at which the connection with the rod 45 should be made, and whether or not for that particular installation the connection should be made be tween the counterweights and pivot point,

keeping in mind that greater distance from the pivot point offers the double advantage of greater leverage, and longer piston throw and cylinder, with more rapid movement of the piston for the same speed of movement of the lever.

The door 21 is here also operated from levers 22. When closed it projects into the slate opening in the box, as in Figs. 5 and 6.

" With some proportions of parts this projection is quite desirable as it presses, the slate inwardly out of the way of the movable screen, whether bottom or section, so

that slate cannot jam between it and the I upper limits of the opening.

The mouth 18 of the coal discharge does not extend the full width of the box front and thus gives room for the rods by which the door is operated.

In operation, the forms shown in Figs. 7 8, 9 and 10 differ from the forms shown in the preceding figures only as the movement of the box to cause water pulsations differs from the use of the plunger to produce them. Both types of jigger as regards this feature are well known at the present time. With both forms the-box, counterbalancing mechanism'and stabilizer operate together. Where the box moves the counterbalancing mechanism and stabilizer move with it.

The movement of the box which I have regarded as reciprocation in Fig. 10, as well as in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 tends to throw the weights upon the lever and the screen at each extremity of the movement of the box and the stabilizer must take these thrusts in addition to the thrusts due to the water resistance and weight of the mixed coal and slate content.

The stabilizer may be attached to any movable part with respect to the box, as seen, and may be in single or multiple form.

Though I consider the forms of counterbalance and stabilizer illustrated quite desirable in carrying out my invention, I recognize that these may appear in other forms in the combinations claimed yet capable of performing the functions contemplated by me. I desire to include such equivalents when applied to jiggers of any type by either the same or other instrinnentalities, my showing being illustrative only of the best form of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a device of the character stated, a jigger box having a screen in the bottom movable with respect to the bottom and adapted to be immersed in water, means for causing relative movement between the water and the jigger box, counter-weighting means for the movable screen and a dash pot stabilizer rigid with respect to the box and having its piston connected with the screen to damp its movement.

2. In a device of the character stated, a jigger tank adapted to contain water, a. jigger box therein having a slate outlet and a perforated screen in the bottom movable with respect to the box, in a direction transverse to the outlet, means for causing pulsations of the water with respect to the box, counter-weighting means for the screen having variable weight to power distances from the fulcrum with different heights of the screen and a stabilizer for damping movement of the screen in both directions.

3. In a device of the character stated, a tank adapted to contain water, a jigger box adapted to enter the water, means for producing relative movement of the water and jigger box, a screen in the bottom of the box movable up and down with respect to the box, COLl11561 -W6lgl1t6d levers supporting the screen and dash pot stabilizing means connected with the levers for 'preventing sudden movement of the levers and screen.

4. In a device of the character stated, a tank adapted to contain water, a jigger box adapted to enter the water, means for vertically reciprocating the jigger box to cause pulsations of the water therein, a screen in the bottom of the box adapted to support mixed coal and slate contained therein and movable up and down with respect to the box, in combination with counter-weighting means for the screen movable with the box and a stabilizer carried by the box connected with the screen and adapted to damp its movement in both directions.

5. In a device of the character stated, a tank adapted to contain water, a jigger box having a slate opening reciprocable in the water to cause pulsations of water therein, a screen section of the bottom of the box being movable up and down with respect to the box, transversely to the opening and in front of it, variant fulcrum counterweighting support for the section carried by the box and means carried by the box for damp ing the movement of the section and counter-weights with respect to the box.

6. In a device of the character stated, a nections for the levers carried by the box tank adapted to contain Water, a jigger box and damping movement of the levers and movable in said tank to cause pulsations of screen with respect to the box.

Water in the boX a screen in the bottom of HARRY J MOYER.

the box movable up and down With respect to the box, counter-balancing lever support for the screen and dash pot stabilizing con- VVitnesses:

HELEN I. KAUFMLAN GEORGE, 7M. STEELL J ACKSON.

) Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. C. 

